van etten



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. D. VAN ETTEN. PAPER FOLDING MACHINE- No. 504,119. I Patented Aug. 29, 1893.

UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES D. VAN ETTEN, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE BROWN FOLDING MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PAPER-FOLDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,119, dated August 29, 1893.

Application filed October 3, 1892- Serial No. 447,770- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEs D. VAN ETTEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper-Folding Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to paper folding machines, and consists in certain improvements in the construction thereof, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as follows:

Figure l is a top or planview of a folding machine, containing the improvements hereinafter to be described (part of the covers being broken away and the first feed table being removed). Fig. 2 is alongitudinal vertical section on the line a:00 in Fig. 1, with only such parts shown as are necessary to illustrate the invention. Fig. 3 is a view on the same section line as Fig. 2, showinga changed position of the gearing.

Letters of reference indicate parts as follows:

A, marks the frame of the machine; B, the driving shaft; B, the driving pulleys; B a driving gear on the shaft, B; C C, the first folding rollers; C C the second folding rollers; 0 C the third folding rollers; D, the tapes that carry the sheets from the first to the second folding rollers; D, the tapes that carry the sheets from the second to the third folding rollers; E, the feeding table; H, the covers or tops; L, the first starter; G, the second starter; K, the stop that stops the sheet after the first fold and holds it ready for the second fold. These parts are all common and they are arranged and operated as commonly.

There is a class of work that consists of long narrow sheets, such as railroad time tables, and otheroirculars that are only folded crosswise of the sheet, and not lengthwise, while other work requires to be first folded lengthwise and then only crosswise, and it is desirable to do both these kinds of sheets on the same machine. The purpose of this invention is to provide means for accomplishing the above stated obj eot, namely, to adapt one machine for conveniently doing both the above classes of work.

When the sheets to be folded are wide and are to be folded first lengthwise and then.

crosswise, they are fed from the table, E, over the rolls 0 C, and the first starter drives them between the said rolls, which fold them lengthwise, and the tapes, D, carry them over the second rolls C C, where the stop, K, arrests them in position to properly pass to the second rolls.

To adapt the machine to operate upon narrow sheets which require to be folded only crosswise, I provide means for reversing the movement of the rolls, 0 C, and the tapes, D D, then change. the stop, K, to the position shown in Fig. 3, take off the feed-board, E, and work from a second feed-board, F, shown in Fig. 3. When thus adjusted, the sheets do not pass between the rolls, C C. They are carried by the tapes, D, into position over the rolls, C C, and are stopped in proper position by the stop K, in its changed position.

In Fig. 2, the arrows indicate the movement of parts when the machine is used to fold the sheets lengthwise first. In Fig. 3, the arrows indicate movement of parts,when folding single width sheets.

I do not desire to be limited to any particular means for reversing the direction of the first rolls, C C, as it will be evident to any competent mechanic that various well known appliances may be used. I have, however, shown in the drawings the form of reversing gear that I prefer to use. It is as follows: Onthe shaft, B, adjacent to the gear, B is pivoted a rocking frame, I, on which are journaled two gears, I and 1 which mesh to gether and one of them only, I, meshes with the gear, B When the frame, I,is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the gear, I, meshes also with the gear, 0, on the adjacent roll C, and the gear, 1 although moved by the gear, I, does no work. When thus adjusted, the rolls, C C, will roll toward, each other from above and the tapes, D, will move as indicated by the arrows. When the frame, I, is changed to the position shown in Fig. 3, the

gear, I, is thrown out of mesh with the gear, 0, and the gear, 1 is brought into mesh with it, and the gear, 1, serves as anintermediate between B and I and the rolls 0 O,will turn together from below, and the tapes, D, will move as shown by arrows in Fig. 3. It should be observed that the shaft, B, does not change its direction of motion, and as the other parts of the machine are driven from that shaft, theydo not change their direction of movement, but operate precisely the same, when the rolls, 0 0, move in one direction or the other;

What I claim as new is- 1. In a paper folding machine, the combination with the driving shaft, B, and gear, 13, thereon, the first rolls, 0 O, first tapes,D, the movable stop, K thereon; second rolls 0 C, n and second feed table, F, of a gearing between i the shaft, B,'and the rolls, C, that is adapted to drive the said rolls in either direction as the same may be adjusted.

2. In a paper folding machine, the combination with the first folding rolls, (3 O, the carrying tapes driven by said rolls, movable stop on said tapes and second rolls 0 O, of means for changing the direction of movement of said rolls and tapes without chang ing the direction of movement of the driving shaft, B, and a secondary feeding table in position to feed the sheets upon said tapes.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES D. VAN ETTEN.

Witnesses:

.1110. K. HALLOCK,

WM. P. HAYES. 

